Spring-wheel.



0. G. WORSLEY.

SPRING WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED FEB. s, 1914.

Patented 0013. 6, 1914.

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SPRING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

Application filed February 3, 1914. Serial No. 816,258.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, OTTO Gr. WoRsLnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Spring-Vheel, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a spring wheel, and one object of the invention is to improve the resilient spoke construction which 4forms an operative connection between the hub and the rim. p l

Another object of the invention is to provide anti-friction means of a novel form, for supporting portions ofthe rim for limited relative movement.

-With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the; combination and arrangement ofparts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 shows in sectionalside elevation, a portion of a wheel constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 'isa section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective of the combined stop plate and'wear member; Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating one of the antifriction elements.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the hub of a wheel, provided with spoke sockets 2. Each spoke socket 2 receives a tubular main spoke member 3, and, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, a screw 4 or like connecting element passes through the spoke socket 2 and enters the spoke member 3 to hold the latter in place.

Slidably mounted for telescoping movement within the main tubular spoke member 3 is an auxiliary tubular spoke member 5. `This auxiliary tubular spoke member 5 7 of the auxiliary spoke member.

is a composite structure and comprises an outer tube 6 and an inner tube 7. The inner tube 7 is considerably shorter than the outer tube 6 so that within the contour of the auxiliary tubular spoke member 5, considered generally, and between the inner and outer ends thereof there is formed a shoulder 8. The auxiliary tubular spoke 6 is closed at its outer end, as indicated at member 5.

Secured in the inner end of the main tubular spoke member 3 is a foot plate 10 in which is secured the inner end of a rod 11. A primary abutment 12 is threaded on the rod `11 adjacentvits outer end, the primary abutment 12 being held in place, for adjustment, by means of a nut 14. The primary abutment 12 is mounted to slide within the auxiliary tubular spoke member 5, or more specifically within the inner tube portion A secondary abutment 15 is mounted to slide on the rod 11 within the contour of the outer tube portion 6 of the auxiliary spoke member 5 and bears against the inner end of the innertube portion 7 of the auxiliary spoke member. A compression spring 16 abuts against the outer end 9 of the auxiliary spoke member 5 and is engaged by the abutment 12. A compression spring 17 abuts against the foot plate 10 and the outer end of the springand is received by the abutment 15.

The felly portion of the wheel is .fashioned in sections and comprises an inner sectional part or member 18 and an outer part or member 19, the outer part or member 19 being connected by means of rivets 2O or the like to a main rim 21 which may be of any desired construction, the same in the present instance being shown as supporting a solid tire 22.y The form of the tire 22, however, is immaterial and in order that an inlatable tire may be employed, the outer part 19 is equipped with an opening 23 adapted to receive the valve tube. Side plates 24 are shown, the same being connected by securing elements 25. These securing elements 25 pass through eyes 27 formed upon the inwardly projecting ends 26a ofa combined in its ends with recesses 29 forming stopsA adjacent the outer part 19'of the felly.

Anti-friction elements which may berollers,

34 are arranged between and bear upon the inner telly elements18 and upon, the com;

bined stop member and wear plate 26, these anti friction elements having a limited movement between the stops formed by the extremities o1 the lug 28 and the inwardly projecting end portions 26a of the stop member 26. A pivot element 30 passes through the end portion 9 of the auxiliary spoke 5 and is received in the lug 28, the lug 28l1aving a concavity 31 which receives the outer end portion 9 of the spoke.

In practical operation, the main rim 21, the side plates 241 and the stop member 26 have a limited circumferential movement independently of the inner part 18. The antiriction elements 34 serve to support these relatively movable parts of the structure and the circumferential movement thereof is limited by the cooperation between the antifriction elements 84, the end,` portions 26a of the stop member 26 and the lug 28.

The spring 17 is considerably heavier than tie spring 16 and the spring 17 is normally held `under compression by( adjusting the nut 111. Under normal working conditions,

v the springv17 supports the major portion ,of

the load, but when an obstacle ofany sort is encountered, outting a sudden strain upon the structure, the spring 16 is brought into play, the abutment 12 which is fixed upon the rod 11 sliding within the inner part 7 of the auxiliary spoke member 5. It isito be observed that owingv to the presence of the rod 11 and the nuts 14, together with the g respective abutments 12 and "15, the springs do not work againsteach other. By manipulating the nuts 1 4 it is possible lto put all of the springs 17 under the same degreev of compression and the continuity of the periphery of the wheel may thus be secured. The screw et may be removed from the spoke socket 2 and into the interior of the telescoping spoke, considered generally, maybe introduced a lubricant, which preferably Y, is in the form of a stiff grease.

It is possible, to pusha all of the auxiliary spoke members 5 inwardly with the respectively attached inner felly elements.v and to hold the springs under compression while the felly is being. mounted in place, and with this end in view, the outer tube 6 of the auxiliary spoke member 5 isprovided adjacent its inner end, as clearly shown in Fig'. 1,

withv an opening 33 in which the end of the screw at may be engaged thus to hold the spokes 5 and 3 in telescoped relation and to hold the springs'junder compression.

Having thus described the invention, what` I claim is 1. In a spring wheel, a hub; a rim; a main `tubular spoke member secured to the hub; anv auxiliary tubular spoke member connected with the rim and slidable within the main spoke member; a rod located within the main spoke member and held against longitudinal movement; an abutment adjustable along the rod and fitted withinY the auxiliary tubular spoke member; means for holding Vthe abutment fixed in adjusted positions; an abutment slidable on the rod towardand away from the hub bearing againstI the auxiliary spoke member and adapted to engage the adjustable abutment to limit the outward movement of the mov.- able abutment; a compression spring located within the auxiliary spoke memberfand lengaging the adjustably fixed abutment; and a springlocated within the main spoke member and engaging the movablefabutment.

. 2. In a spring wheel, a rim comprising inner and `outermembers, the inner member being f sectional y' and e each element thereof having a lug; side'plates coperating with the' inner and outer elements; 'j securing means uniting the side plates; a combined stop member andV wear plate Jfor each' element of the inner rim member, andv having end portions engaging said securing means; anti-friction elements engaging each wear plate and located between the same and the corresponding elementl of the inner rim member upon the opposite side vof thelug on the latter and 'betv\.een the same and the end portions o-f-'the'combined stop member andjwear plate, to limit circumferential movement of-'said anti-friction elements; a yieldable spoke ,connected with eachk element of theinner ri/mmember and a hub tol which tliefinner' ends ofthe spokes are attached.`

'3. In a spring wheel,- a' rim, comprising innerand outer members, the innermemb'er being sectional and each element thereof having a lug; a combined wear'plate and stop memberfor each element oli/the inner rim member bearing-against the outermember ofthe.rimandf'provided with inwardly projecting endlporti'ons forming stopslov 4. A spring Wheel having telescopng ferential movement in both directions ofsprng-eXtended spokes; a hollow rim havsaid anti-friction elements. ing a sectional inner member, with the ele- In testimony that I claim the foregoing ments of Which the outer ends of the spoke as my own, I have hereto aiXed my signa- 5 are lrelspectively conieted; loose hani-fric- `ture in the presence of two Witnesses.

tion e ements locate etween eac e ement of the inner rim member and the outer rim v OTTO G WORSLEY' member; and stops carried respectively by Witnesses: the outer rim member and each element of SELINAWILLSON, 10 the inner rim member to limit the crcum- I. E. SIMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C. 

